Spiral separator



Original Filed Feb. 21. 1925 F. FARDEE SPIRAL S EPARATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5] 141) auto 1 [Zn/m H/PDE Feb. 14, 1928.

F. PARDEE SPIRAL SEPARATOR Original Filed Feb, 21- 1925 2 Sheets-S'neet 2 Patented F 14, 1928.

Uhlil'hfi STATES atria, nests-non 'ro anri-raacrrn enra- UVANIA, a. coerce-Arron or PENNSYL- srman ,sntenna'ron.

Original application filed February 21,1925, Serial No. 10,?40. Divided and this application filed April 17, 1925.

In an application Serial No. 10,740 filed February 21, 1925, I have disclosed and claimed broadly a spiral structure and method of manufacturing the same. The chute 5 described in said former application with certain modifications can be used as a separator. as well as a lowering chute such as specifically shown and claimed. The present application is a division of my above identified co-pending case.

My improved separator is preferably made of a fairly heavy gauge pipe which is bent to spiral form of the required pitch and diameter. This form of apparatus provides an extremely rigid structure which is practically self-supporting. This does away with the necessity of providing either the central supporting post used in most former types and in many cases the runway may be supported or held in place merely by suitable brackets or tie bars anchored to adjustable columns in the building or to other convenient supports such as walls or flooring and roof beams.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which-- Fig. 1 is aside elevation showing a selfsupporting runway;

Fig. 2 is a view struction;

Fig. 3 is a detail showing a portion of the pipe used for making the runway illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig.4- is a detail of a portion of a modified form of separator;

5 is a detail section on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring in detail first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the separator here shown consists of a runway formed of a pipe-like member 10 which is bent to the pitch and diameter best suited for handling the materials to be separated. adapted for separating coal from slate. The mixed materials are fed by gravity through a chute 12 to the mouth 14 at the upper end of the tubular runway. As the materials travel downwardly in their spiral path a separation takes lace due partly to centrifugal action andtlie dili'erent frictional characteris'tios of the two classes of material. The coal hard and bright or of cubical of an alternative con The embodiment illustrated is Serial 1510. 23,776.

fracture tends to travel at a faster rate and centrifugal force aids in compelling it to follow in an outer path. The slate on the other hand is of flatter fracture and is of rougher texture, thereby aresents greater friction and it tends to travel along an inner path. It is thus apparent that as the mass reaches the lower endor cut-away portion indicated at 16, the coal will climb upwardly and over the ct go 18 in the direction of the arrows 20 and the slate will fall over the ct ge 22 which is preferably at a lower elevation than the edge 18. A suitable ridge plate formed of inclined members 2d and 26 tends to deflect the coal in the direction of the arrows 2O andtheslate inthe direction of the arrows 28. Suitable chutes not shown may be provided to convey the ma terial {to storage bins as will be understood. The ridge plates 2t and 26 may serve as a support for the lower end of the separator runway 10 and brackets or tie-bars 30 may be secured by bolts 32 to the runway and by bolts 34 to existin structure members in the building in which the separator is located. It is apparentthat the pipelike runway is of suficient rigidity to be self-supportincgand provides an extremely simple yet ellicient. separator.

Instead of forming the runway of one continuous spiral pipe section as shown, it may be made up of two or more sections united by any suitable form of joint such as flanged rings or the like.

The chute 86 is provide for catching the intermediate class ot' material which fails to climb over the edge 18 or 22. l

' The pipe-like separator above described diiiers from those heretofore used in that therunway is a closed structure. This preventsthe escapeo'f dust into the surrounding atmosphere and, of course, prevents pieces travellingat a last rate from flying off or leaving the runway. I

In Fig. 2, I have illustrated a slightly modified construction in which the runway 38 is of arcuate form in cross-section. This type of runway is conveniently made by the method disclosed in my former application above referred to. To make this runway, l bend a length of pipe into spiral form of the required pitch and diameter and cut away central portion the lines 0 and p. This will leave a piece such as shown in Fig. I then sever this piece along the spiral line indicated at t. This forms two spiral sections one of which is inverted and joined to the end of the other by means of a splice plate 40 indicated in Fig. 2. In this form of device, the runway is supported by uprights 4-2 and brackets 44 as shown.

In Fig. i, I have shown a. further modification in which the runway is formed of a spiral pipe having openings 52 formed therein, these openings being separated by connecting members 54;. This forms a very rigid type of runway which is practically self-supporting it merely being necessary to provide tie-bars 56 which can be fastened to any fixed part 01"" the building in which the apparatus is located so as to anchor the separator in place. This form of runway is adapted to be inverted when one portioi'i becomes badly worn. This will be apparent from examination of Fig. 5 in which it will be noted that the edges 56 and 58 are equidistant irom the horizontal center line li -4) passing through the center oi the are representing the cross-sectional contour of the runway. As thus proportioned when the bottom of the runway becomes badly worn the entire separator can be inverted and the part which was formerly the top then be comes the bottom. This practically doubles the life of the separator.

In the form shown in Figs. 2 and 4-, the runway will be cut away as indicated to form lips over which the different classes of material will be discharged when theyreach the lower end of the runway. These lips indicated at 18" and 22 are substantially the same as indicated in Fig. 1 and chutes similar to those illustrated in said figure'will he provided for guiding the separated materials to suitable storage bins. In the form illustrated in Fig. l which is adapted to be inverted for reuse when one side becomes badly worn, it is, of course, apparent that the part which becomes the lower end will have to be cut away to form proper discharge lips. This work can be done prior to the erection of the spiral in its inverted position and the work can conveniently be done by the same crew of workmen who make the change.

While I have described with great particularity the specific embodiments of the iiwei'ition herein shown, it is not to be constrned that Iain limited thereto changes in arrangement and substitution of cqnivzr lents may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A separator con'iprising a tubular runway of spiral l'orin adapted to receive mixed materials at its upper end, the lower end of said tubular runway being cut away to form discharge lips at such an elevation that ditiierent classes of material. will climb laterally over the edges'o'l said lips.

2. jl. separator com 'irising a spiral runway of concave cross-section and having a cut a "ay portion at the lower end therco'l', one edge of which is spaced at a predetermined elevation above the low point of the concave runway so that the material travelling thereon can climb over said edge.

3. A separator comprising a spiral runway of concave cross-section and having an outer edge higher than an inner-edge so that one class of n'iaterial will climb over the high edge and another will be discharged over the low edge.

A separator con'iprising a tubular runway of spiral form adapted to receive mixed materials at its upper end, the lower end of said tubular runway being cut away to :lorn'i discharge lips at such an elevation that different classes of material will climb laterally over the edges of said lips and means for deflecting the separated materials in dill'erent directions.

5. it separator co1npri:--:ing a tubular runway oi. spiral iorm adapted to receive mixed materials at its upper end, the lower end of. said tubular runway being cut away to 'l'orni discharge lips at such an elevation that dil 'lorent classes-0t material will climb laterally over the edges oi said. lips inclined ,nienibers for deflecting the materials Whirl] climb over said lips and a chute l'or carry inn; oil the remainder.

6. A. separator comprising a spiral runway of substantially C-shape in cross "ertion having intcgral side and bottom walls. said runway being adapted to be inverted for reuse when badly worn.

In witness \i'hcrcof, l have luu'cunlo signed my name.

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